Shortly after midnight on February 6, Cook County Law Enforcement was notified of a fire alarm at the historic main lodge at Lutsen Resort. The dispatcher reported that employees had seen smoke rising from the floor in the main lobby.
Eight fire departments, Tofte First Responders, and Cook County Sheriff’s deputies responded.
By 6:00 AM, the Sheriff’s Office reported that the building was completely engulfed, and social media posts showed pictures and videos confirming the building had been destroyed.
According to the Cook County Sheriff’s press release, no guests were in the building last night. No injuries were reported as of press time.
The Lutsen, Tofte, Grand Marais, Maple Hill, Gunflint Trail, Finland, Silver Bay, and Grand Portage fire departments were on hand to contain the blaze.
According to the press release, the State Fire Marshall’s office is investigating the fire. On its social media page, Lutsen Resort announced its intention to rebuild.
Lutsen Resort traces its roots to Swedish immigrant Charles Axel Nelson, who purchased 106 acres around the mouth of the Poplar River in 1885. The Nelson family rented rooms to travelers journeying up and down the North Shore, eventually building the resort.
The resort’s main lodge burned down in 1949, and renowned architect Edwin Hugh Lundie designed the current building. Construction of the new lodge was completed in 1952, and the structure has been a landmark of Lutsen and the North Shore.
In 1988, the descendants of Charles Nelson sold the resort to Nancy Burns and Scott Harrison. It was most recently sold in 2018 to Bryce Campbell and his firm, North Shore Resort.
